Aircraft Wing Panel Ridges for Visual Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for machining aircraft wing panels require increasing the thickness step amount beyond the machining tolerance to visually distinguish between thickness changes, leading to unnecessary weight increase and increased manufacturing costs due to potential misidentification of normal steps as flaws.
Innovation Solution
A panel member with gradually changing thickness divided into areas, featuring a marking ridge at the boundary portions with a height greater than the machining tolerance, allowing for easy visual confirmation of thickness changes and reducing the risk of mistaking normal steps for flaws, while maintaining necessary strength and minimizing weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the step amount of thickness is increased to be larger than the machining tolerance, then the step can be visually distinguished from flaws, but the weight of the wing panel increases and unnecessary material is added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wing panel into multiple areas with different thicknesses, where each area has a uniform thickness and the boundaries between areas create visible steps. This segmentation allows thickness variations to be deliberately designed and visually identified without increasing overall weight, as the steps occur only at area boundaries rather than requiring increased thickness throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different thickness values to different local areas of the wing panel based on structural requirements. Each area has a thickness optimized for its specific location, and the boundaries between areas create natural visual markers. This local differentiation allows visual detection of steps without requiring uniform thickness increases across the entire panel.
2Reliability
If the step amount of thickness is increased beyond machining tolerance, then visual inspection can distinguish normal steps from flaws, but the manufacturing cost increases due to wasteful sanding corrections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes predetermined area boundaries and thickness transitions during the design and machining stages, creating visible steps before inspection occurs. This preliminary structuring of thickness variations allows inspectors to distinguish between intentional design features and actual flaws, preventing unnecessary sanding corrections and reducing manufacturing costs.
3Weight of moving object
If the thickness of the wing panel is reduced in tip end portions, then the weight is reduced, but the strength may be insufficient without proper thickness management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the local quality principle by assigning different thickness values to different areas of the wing panel based on their specific structural requirements. The base end portion and engine-mounting positions have larger thicknesses for high strength requirements, while tip end portions have smaller thicknesses for weight reduction. This area-specific thickness optimization ensures both strength and weight goals are achieved simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a panel member capable of restraining an increase in weight of a wing panel while restraining wasteful work in the manufacturing process, an aircraft main wing, and a method for forming the panel member. A wing panel 10 is formed with ridges 20 each having a dimension larger than the machining tolerance in the boundary portions between areas A1, A2, . . . . Therefore, the worker who handles the wing panel 10 can visually confirm the step portions of the areas A1, A2, . . . easily. Thereby, if a flaw or the like is found in the areas A1, A2, . . . , corrective actions can be properly taken on the actually existing flaw without mistaking the flaw for the step portion of the areas A1, A2, . . . .